Biden Speaks to Japan’s Kishida After Abe’s Death; Trump in Talks About Attending Funeral

President Joe Biden spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on July 8 to offer condolences over the death of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Abe, 67, was assassinated on July 8 in Nara, Japan, during a campaign speech backing his party’s candidates ahead of a parliamentary election, by a man with a homemade gun. Abe was the longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history, serving from 2006 to 2007 and from 2012 to 2020.

Biden called Kishida “to express his outrage, sadness, and deep condolences on the tragic and violent shooting death of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo,” according to a White House readout of the call.

“The President underscored that he and the American people stand with the Prime Minister and the people of Japan in their time of mourning,” the readout states.

“The President noted the importance of Prime Minister Abe’s enduring legacy with his vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and the establishment of the QUAD meetings of Japan, the United States, Australia, and India.

“The President noted our unwavering confidence in the strength of Japan’s democracy and the two leaders discussed how Shinzo Abe’s legacy will live on as we continue the important task of defending peace and democracy.”

(L-R) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend the Quad Fellowship Founding Celebration event in Tokyo, on May 24, 2022. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images)

The White House also published a joint statement on July 8 from Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing shock at Abe’s assassination.

“Abe was a transformative leader for Japan and for Japanese relations with each one of our countries. He also played a formative role in the founding of the Quad partnership, and worked

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